diff --git a/src/bmconfigparser.py b/src/bmconfigparser.py
index ff43fd7c..be7b3e87 100644
--- a/src/bmconfigparser.py
+++ b/src/bmconfigparser.py
@@ -2,13 +2,22 @@
 BMConfigParser class definition and default configuration settings
 """
 
-import ConfigParser
+import sys
+if sys.version_info[0] == 3:
+    # python 3
+    import configparser as ConfigParser
+    SafeConfigParser = ConfigParser.ConfigParser
+else:
+    # python 2
+    import ConfigParser
+    SafeConfigParser = ConfigParser.SafeConfigParser
+
+import state
+from singleton import Singleton
 import os
 import shutil
 from datetime import datetime
 
-import state
-from singleton import Singleton
 
 BMConfigDefaults = {
     "bitmessagesettings": {
@@ -43,7 +52,8 @@ BMConfigDefaults = {
 
 
 @Singleton
-class BMConfigParser(ConfigParser.SafeConfigParser):
+class BMConfigParser(SafeConfigParser):
+
     """
     Singleton class inherited from :class:`ConfigParser.SafeConfigParser`
     with additional methods specific to bitmessage config.
@@ -60,26 +70,47 @@ class BMConfigParser(ConfigParser.SafeConfigParser):
             raise ValueError("Invalid value %s" % value)
         return ConfigParser.ConfigParser.set(self, section, option, value)
 
-    def get(self, section, option, raw=False, variables=None):
-        # pylint: disable=arguments-differ
-        try:
-            if section == "bitmessagesettings" and option == "timeformat":
+    def get(self, section, option, raw=False, vars=None):
+        if sys.version_info[0] == 3:
+            # pylint: disable=arguments-differ
+           try:
+                if section == "bitmessagesettings" and option == "timeformat":
+                    return ConfigParser.ConfigParser.get(
+                        self, section, option)
+                try:
+                    return self._temp[section][option]
+                except KeyError:
+                    pass
                 return ConfigParser.ConfigParser.get(
-                    self, section, option, raw, variables)
+                    self, section, option)
+           except ConfigParser.InterpolationError:
+                return ConfigParser.ConfigParser.get(
+                    self, section, option)
+           except (ConfigParser.NoSectionError, ConfigParser.NoOptionError) as e:
+                try:
+                    return BMConfigDefaults[section][option]
+                except (KeyError, ValueError, AttributeError):
+                    raise e
+        else:
+            # pylint: disable=arguments-differ
             try:
-                return self._temp[section][option]
-            except KeyError:
-                pass
-            return ConfigParser.ConfigParser.get(
-                self, section, option, True, variables)
-        except ConfigParser.InterpolationError:
-            return ConfigParser.ConfigParser.get(
-                self, section, option, True, variables)
-        except (ConfigParser.NoSectionError, ConfigParser.NoOptionError) as e:
-            try:
-                return BMConfigDefaults[section][option]
-            except (KeyError, ValueError, AttributeError):
-                raise e
+                if section == "bitmessagesettings" and option == "timeformat":
+                    return ConfigParser.ConfigParser.get(
+                        self, section, option, raw, vars)
+                try:
+                    return self._temp[section][option]
+                except KeyError:
+                    pass
+                return ConfigParser.ConfigParser.get(
+                    self, section, option, True, vars)
+            except ConfigParser.InterpolationError:
+                return ConfigParser.ConfigParser.get(
+                    self, section, option, True, vars)
+            except (ConfigParser.NoSectionError, ConfigParser.NoOptionError) as e:
+                try:
+                    return BMConfigDefaults[section][option]
+                except (KeyError, ValueError, AttributeError):
+                    raise e
 
     def setTemp(self, section, option, value=None):
         """Temporary set option to value, not saving."""
@@ -191,3 +222,4 @@ class BMConfigParser(ConfigParser.SafeConfigParser):
         if value < 0 or value > 8:
             return False
         return True
+
diff --git a/src/tests/test_config.py b/src/tests/test_config.py
index a3b90a4c..d44ec738 100644
--- a/src/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/src/tests/test_config.py
@@ -2,11 +2,7 @@
 Various tests for config
 """
 
-import os
 import unittest
-import tempfile
-
-from .test_process import TestProcessProto
 from pybitmessage.bmconfigparser import BMConfigParser
 
 
@@ -38,32 +34,3 @@ class TestConfig(unittest.TestCase):
             BMConfigParser().safeGetInt('nonexistent', 'nonexistent'), 0)
         self.assertEqual(
             BMConfigParser().safeGetInt('nonexistent', 'nonexistent', 42), 42)
-
-
-class TestProcessConfig(TestProcessProto):
-    """A test case for keys.dat"""
-    home = tempfile.mkdtemp()
-
-    def test_config_defaults(self):
-        """Test settings in the generated config"""
-        self._stop_process()
-        self._kill_process()
-        config = BMConfigParser()
-        config.read(os.path.join(self.home, 'keys.dat'))
-
-        self.assertEqual(config.safeGetInt(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'settingsversion'), 10)
-        self.assertEqual(config.safeGetInt(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'port'), 8444)
-        # don't connect
-        self.assertTrue(config.safeGetBoolean(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'dontconnect'))
-        # API disabled
-        self.assertFalse(config.safeGetBoolean(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'apienabled'))
-
-        # extralowdifficulty is false
-        self.assertEqual(config.safeGetInt(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'defaultnoncetrialsperbyte'), 1000)
-        self.assertEqual(config.safeGetInt(
-            'bitmessagesettings', 'defaultpayloadlengthextrabytes'), 1000)
diff --git a/src/tests/test_config_functional.py b/src/tests/test_config_functional.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3b973911
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/test_config_functional.py
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+"""
+Various tests for config
+"""
+
+import os
+import unittest
+import tempfile
+
+from .test_process import TestProcessProto
+from pybitmessage.bmconfigparser import BMConfigParser
+
+
+class TestProcessConfig(TestProcessProto):
+    """A test case for keys.dat"""
+    home = tempfile.mkdtemp()
+
+    def test_config_defaults(self):
+        """Test settings in the generated config"""
+        self._stop_process()
+        self._kill_process()
+        config = BMConfigParser()
+        config.read(os.path.join(self.home, 'keys.dat'))
+
+        self.assertEqual(config.safeGetInt(
+            'bitmessagesettings', 'settingsversion'), 10)
+        self.assertEqual(config.safeGetInt(
+            'bitmessagesettings', 'port'), 8444)
+        # don't connect
+        self.assertTrue(config.safeGetBoolean(
+            'bitmessagesettings', 'dontconnect'))
+        # API disabled
+        self.assertFalse(config.safeGetBoolean(
+            'bitmessagesettings', 'apienabled'))
+
+        # extralowdifficulty is false
+        self.assertEqual(config.safeGetInt(
+            'bitmessagesettings', 'defaultnoncetrialsperbyte'), 1000)
+        self.assertEqual(config.safeGetInt(
+            'bitmessagesettings', 'defaultpayloadlengthextrabytes'), 1000)